Caltrans Starts Overnight Highway 70 Pavement Work

MARYSVILLE — Caltrans is scheduled to begin overnight pavement rehabilitation Wednesday, July 8, on State Route 70 through the Marysville area, with work extending between the State Route 65/State Route 70 split and the E Street Bridge in Yuba County. The agency’s District 3 alert describes the effort as a $4.3 million project and tells drivers to expect night lane closures, temporary ramp closures, slower speeds, and minor delays.

The stated purpose is to improve the roadway surface and give drivers a smoother ride. Caltrans’ environmental review for the related maintenance project says pavement work along SR 70 from post mile 8.7 to 13.6 is needed to extend remaining pavement service life, preserve the roadway, and prevent further deterioration. The work also includes paving all four existing on- and off-ramps within the project limits.

Caltrans’ scope calls for crews to cold-plane, or grind off, about 1.2 inches of existing asphalt concrete pavement and place RHMA-G, a rubberized hot mix asphalt gap-graded pavement. Caltrans pavement guidance lists RHMA-G as one of the common flexible pavement types used alongside hot mix asphalt and open-graded friction course.

Construction is expected to take about 45 working days, according to Caltrans. Crews are scheduled to work at night to minimize daytime traffic impacts, with lane closures on eastbound and westbound SR 70 from 9 PM to 5 AM. Temporary nighttime closures are also planned for ramps within the work zone, but the alert does not specify closure dates for individual ramps.

Drivers should expect reduced speeds through the work area and should watch for crews, equipment, signs, and changing ramp access during the overnight hours. Caltrans said drivers can check QuickMap or the QuickMap mobile app for real-time traffic information, and District 3 also posts construction and road-condition updates on its social media channels.